• Eat Lights

    Album Review: Eat Lights, Become Lights – Modular Living

    Modular Living is the latest album from Eat Lights, Become Lights. This London four-piece have been going strong since they started attacking people’s senses in 2007. They are certainly an interesting band. Writer, performer and engineer Neil Rudd  formed ELBL from his love of German avant rock and 70s electronica that in turn create this sound [...]

  • Print

    Album Review: The National – Trouble Will Find Me

    Early reports of The National’s long-awaited follow-up to 2010’s acclaimed High Violet talk of new directions, fresh diversions. Indeed, singer Matt Berninger himself talks of these songs as more “immediate and visceral” than those of previous albums. I have to say, I don’t see it, nor I do it hear it. For me, the songs that start [...]

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    Album Review: Just Handshakes – Say It

    The Leeds-based quartet Just Handshakes formed at university over a shared love of the C86 music scene. After a series of low-key singles and DIY cassette releases, which have finely honed their sound, they have now, via the Californian based label Bleeding Gold, delivered their debut album, Say It, which sees them drop a little [...]

  • 1847

    Album Review: Cloud Boat – Book of Hours

    Book of Hours is the debut LP from Cloud Boat. This London based duo already has quite the buzz building up around them and their forthcoming release. If you are a fan of The XX, Bon Iver, James Blake, Zero 7, Alt-J or any other group that emulate pure magic on record, then read on. This [...]

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    LIVE: THE SPECIALS – 15/05/2013

    - THE APOLLO, MANCHESTER -  So picture this. Mass unemployment, disappearing high streets, strikes and burning effigies of Margaret Thatcher alight in crumbling pit villages. No, it’s not 1980. It’s 2013, and The Specials have never felt more relevant.  Given the political tension of the last few months, there’s a sense of adrenaline throughout the venue. [...]

  • public service broadcasting

    LIVE: PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING – 14/05/2013

    - SOUND CONTROL, MANCHESTER -  Over ten mock TVs are set up around the stage of Sound Control tonight, each hidden beneath vintage drapery, giving away any and all clues that this gig is going to be so much more than just an audio experience. Surfacing the unearthed propaganda material of the yesteryears, Public Service [...]

  • HTDW_1230x740_1

    LIVE: HOW TO DRESS WELL – 15/05/2013

     - WHITWORTH GALLERY, MANCHESTER – I’m a relative latecomer to the stylised, lo-fi R&B sounds of How To Dress Well. At first listen, I was all “I really like this boy band”. And there are hints reminiscent of Boyz II Men and R Kelly but not in a bad way.  Rather, he is Chicago-born Tim [...]

  • black_pudding1

    Album Review: Mark Lanegan and Duke Garwood – Black Pudding

    Some musicians have forged such an enduring image and reputation that they have somehow achieved an untouchable, passé-proof status. Possessing their albums garners you untold points in the taste stakes, whether you’re looking for them or not. Mark Lanegan is one such artist – an enduring figure across respected genres, like a Machiavellian prince adapting to the [...]

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    Album Review: Hunter Valentine – Collide and Conquer

    Hunter Valentine are a three-piece female rock band with catchy songs and a lot of attitude. Setting the bar for other girl bands, they hail from Canada, but more recently have been taking the NYC scene by storm. Now on the leg of their European tour, the band present us with their second album, Collide [...]

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    LIVE: BEACH FOSSILS – 15/05/2013

     - THE ROADHOUSE, MANCHESTER -  In the past few years there has been a rise in bands, in particular American bands, making guitar driven pop music that’s heavy on the reverb and dreamy in its delivery. Brooklyn-born outfit Beach Fossils seem to have been there from the start of this lo-fi invasion, as frontman Dustin [...]

  • The_Computers

    LIVE: THE COMPUTERS – 11/05/2013

     - THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER -  I find it hard to be critical of any band that manages to ad-lib ‘Surfin Bird’ into their live set (as part of Rhythm Revue) and so it is with The Computers. I think the term ‘reinvention’ would be a fair description of how they have changed or developed [...]

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    LIVE: JOHN GRANT – 14/05/2013

    - THE RITZ, MANCHESTER -  **WARNING** This review will be two things: 1) quite gushing, and 2) a bit sweary. Please do read on if you are comfortable with both those things. This is because tonight the magnificent John Grant is in town, and this gig is very, very special indeed.  In fact, I’d go [...]

  • kidcongo_hauntedhead_print

    Album Review: Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds – Haunted Head

    After well-known spells in respected bands such as The Gun Club, The Cramps and Nick Cave’s The Bad Seeds, American singer/guitarist Brian Tristan looks set to continue his solo adventure under the guise of Kid Congo Powers. Backed by his band The Pink Monkey Birds, the group are set to release their third album, Haunted Head, [...]

  • vampire-weekend-fonts

    Album Review: Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of the City

    Alarms bells rang the moment I read Ezra Koenig’s interview in the NME a few months back. “People tried to pretend we were rich idiots ripping off African music”, he said defensively. But such statements belie the truth, that the revulsion Vampire Weekend inspires from certain people is getting to them. I was shocked to [...]

  • Vondelpark

    LIVE: VONDELPARK / BLOOM – 09/05/2013

    - ISLINGTON MILL, MANCHESTER -  Islington Mill tends to be home to the more freaky, experimental end of the live music spectrum in Manchester, so this visit of London-based indie-electronic trio Vondelpark is a little against type. Their music is vibey and textured rather than intensive or otherworldly, but on this occasion the setting works [...]

Welcome to Silent Radio

We believe that the majority of the music press has become smug, superior, cynical, negative, bitchy and massively desperate to be cool. This has led them to see themselves as god-like figures with authority over the real consumers of music.The only people that have the right to make or break a new artist or band are the record buying and gig going public.

Much of the mainstream media has now lost touch with the everyday music fan.They treat music as a commercial product, when it should be treated with care and passion.

At Silent Radio each individual writer is exactly that, an individual, all with their own unique tastes and views on music. Many publications/websites will ‘tell’ you who is good and who is not. This is wrong, and we are here to inform, and hopefully in the process help you find new music.

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Heavy Dancers

WHO ARE YA? HEAVY DANCERS

From time to time, one of our contributors will recommend an artist/band they think deserves to be brought to your attention. No record labels, PR ...

Being Frank

NEWS: BEING FRANK – THE CHRIS SIEVEY STORY

Being Frank: The Chris Sievey story is the official documentary about Manchester alternative comedian and musician Frank Sidebottom and his creator Chris Sievey. Throughout the ...

gig_guide

GIG GUIDE – MAY 2013

We have trawled through the forthcoming gigs in and around Manchester so you don’t have to. We believe that if we are going to recommend a ...

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